1. Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention relate to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus having a direction switch to switch an ejecting path of a print medium.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, an image forming apparatus is connected to a host system and forms an image on a print medium (such as paper, a transparency, etc.) corresponding to image data received from the host system. The image forming apparatus includes a printer to print the image data on the print medium, a facsimile to transmit the image data to another facsimile, a scanner to read an image from a document to generate the image data, a copying machine to copy the image data from one print medium to another, and a multi-function peripheral (MFP) into which the functions of the foregoing devices are integrated. In particular, the multi-function peripheral (MFP) has increased in demand as wired/wireless communication technologies are developed and various functions (such as E-mailing, web-page direct printing, etc.) are added thereto.
As the image forming apparatus has diverse functions and network capabilities, the image forming apparatus can be simultaneously used by a plurality of users. Thus, the image forming apparatus is in need of increasing a medium tray capacity to receive the printing-completed media. Furthermore, a plurality of media trays is needed to classify the print media according to sizes and contents.
To this end, a conventional image forming apparatus includes an auxiliary medium tray added to a main medium tray, where the printing-completed media are piled, through an auxiliary body. In this case, the image forming apparatus includes a direction switch to direct a printing-completed medium to either of the main medium tray provided in a main body or the auxiliary medium tray added through the auxiliary body. Moreover, the direction switch includes a selector to selectively direct the printing-completed medium to either of the main tray or the auxiliary medium tray.
Meanwhile, the conventional image forming apparatus includes a solenoid or a motor to drive the direction switch. In case of the solenoid, the selector is directly coupled with the solenoid and selects a carrying direction as the solenoid is driven. Thus, in the case that the solenoid is used, electric power is continuously applied to the solenoid so as to move the selector in a certain direction.
As shown in FIG. 8A, to move the selector for directing the printing-completed medium toward the main medium tray, a positive (+) electric power has to be applied from a switching moment (a) to another switching moment (b). On the other hand, to move the selector for directing the printing-completed medium toward the auxiliary medium tray, a negative (−) electric power has to be applied from a switching moment (b) to another switching moment (c). Thus, when the solenoid is used, the electric power is successively supplied to the solenoid regardless of which direction the selector moves in. Accordingly, power consumption increases, and the continuously supplied power causes heat generation and thus shortens a lifespan of the solenoid.
Furthermore, in case of the motor, the electric power is also continuously supplied to the motor while the selector moves in a certain direction, thereby increasing the power consumption and generating noise due to a driving of the motor.